Preston's Story: What's In Your Newborn's crib?
By: Neile Jones
Updated: September 28, 2011
Original Airdate: February 9, 2011
Loving parents want to give their newborns everything that might help keep their infant safe and sound for a lifetime, but could a product intended to protect play a part in a childs death? The Journal of Pediactrics published research that found more than two dozen cases of infant deaths involving baby bumper pads or similar products. This is Preston's story, a seven-week-old who lost his life in a tragic accident.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission doesn't require warnings on these types of items and no recalls have been issued for bumper pads
A child advocacy group called Kids in Danger recommends not using bumper pads at all. We spoke with the Executive Director who says the best crib is an empty crib.
A few other things to note:
Also something we weren't able to include in our story, what Laura Maxwell says about the Sleep positioner and Preston's death. "Basically what we assuse happened was he was swaddled like they often tell you to do with newborns so they don't flail, and he was placed in a sleep positioner and he was placed slightly on his side, not completely, and he somehow rolled over the sleep positioner and into the corner of his crib, so when we found him the next morning one side of his nostril was bent up against the railing of the crib and the other side had been smothereed between the matress and the bumper pad."
Below is a Statement from the Executive Director of Kids in Danger about what the Maxwell family has endured.
The sleep positioner is not only dangerous, it is completely unnecessary and preyed on parents' fears of SIDS. Put your baby to sleep on a firm mattress on his or her back. A baby who can't roll over doesn't need the positioner to stay on their back--they can't roll over! A baby who can roll over, as long as there are no soft items in the crib, will be safe. The CPSC and FDA warned against these products because they made unsubstantiated claims about preventing SIDS and because more than a dozen babies have suffocated on sleep positioner. While some might still be found in homes and sold online, responsible retailers stopped the sale of the product, leading to manufacturers to stop production.
The Maxwells have suffered a horrific loss - from products bought to keep their precious newborn safe. Their efforts to share their story and prevent other families from suffering as they have is nothing short of heroic.
Nancy A. Cowles
Executive Director
Kids In Danger
